To celebrate 2025 Black History Month, recognition of African Americans and Labor, the Church Hill Theater has scheduled an original, one-hour, free event for the whole community. Join us for inspiring music and memorable words on Saturday, February 1, with performances at 3 pm and 5 pm. This is not a ticketed event, but reservations are strongly suggested to guarantee seats.
The original March on Washington, on August 28, 1963, was organized to build an alliance of civil rights, labor and religious organizations under the banner of “jobs and freedom.” It was one of the largest political rallies for human rights in U.S. history, with close to 300,000 (mostly Black) people participating. The last speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. The march was a key element in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This dramatic performance was envisioned and compiled by Herbert Ziegler, who uses the music of the day and the words of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders to chart the progress of the dream. While some objectives have been realized, other goals have not.
Kathy Jones, the show’s music director, along with Diane Shelton and Jahdaya Martin, will cover songs from the March by Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. (If you know the words, join in.) Local actors will give voice to the historic words. Ian Stotts, Noah Thompson, Christopher Wallace, and Michael Whitehill are eager to participate. Others may join the cast before February 1.
This is a wonderful family event, especially for students who know only the brief version in their history books. Church Hill Theatre is located at 103 Walnut Street in Church Hill, Maryland. Reservations can be made online at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling the box office at (410) 556-6003.
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